Photographic-printing machine



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,721

A. M. THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHI G PRINTING IACHINB Filed March 13, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. 17/7. mam s BY WMMJM I O I A TTORNEY Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,721

A. M THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHI C PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,721

A. M. THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING mcnm:

F led March 1:5, 1924 5Sheets-Sheet s ATTORNEY.

EN lav/.7710 mas b BY 3 m Sept; 29, 1925. 1,555,721

A. M. THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 N y, X\ k a l M i 1 l K N l L g: Q p

Q q R a k Q E R "a a a O x "q 0 I 2 r; i i l I llll Q l l l l 3 INVENTOR.

HIV-m m Sept. 29, 1925. 1.5551121 A. M. THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHI C PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1924 5 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR.

if! 7 wilds ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES ALFRED M. THOMAS, OF FORT MORGAN, COLORADO.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed March 13, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Morgan, in the county of Morgan and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic-Printing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the art of photography, and particularly to photographic printing machines.

The general object of this invention is to provide a photographic printing machine adapted to be used in shops where a large number of prints are made from one negative, though the machine might be used where the negatives were more or less constantly changed, in which the sensitized sheets, such as postal cards and the like, are moved one by one from a magazine disposed in contact withthe negative, then removed from contact with the negative and dropped into a receptacle, from which they may be afterwards collected for development.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character in which the sensitized sheets from the time that they are taken from the magazine until the time that they are dropped into the negative box are not touched by the fingers.

A still further object is to provide a machine of this character using suction operated means for picking up and carrying the sheets from one position to another.

Another object is to provide a magazine and automatically operated means for separating the top sheet from subjacent sheets therein so as to permit the suction operated carrier to pick up only the top sheet.

Still another object is to provide means for automatically holding the sheets in proper registry with each other.

A further object is to provide for yieldingly supporting the sheets in the magazine so as to secure a good contact between said sheets and the suction means for lifting the sheets.

A further object is to provide a sheet carrier comprising a bellows mounted for movement from a position over the magazine where it picks up a sheet to a position upon the printing frame and vice versa, and provide means automatically operating the bellows to suck the sheet thereagainst when it is in one position, holding the bellows open Serial No. 698,976.

while transferring the card to the printing frame or printing position, and collapsing the bellows as it passes above the sheet receiving compartment to thereby drop the sheet at this time, the bellows remaining collapsed until it reaches and engages with a fresh card or sheet in the magazine.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will appea more fully hereinafter.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a photographic printing machine constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the position of the parts when the print is being made and showing in dotted lines the position of the conveying bellows at the time when the print is being discharged;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is afragmentary plan view of a portion of the frame and the bellows 36, showing the position of the latch 51 when the parts are in the full line position in Figure 1;

Figure & is a longitudinal sectional view through the printing machine showing the parts in the printing position;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the same lines as Figure t but showing the parts in the position in which they are moved when the sheet has been lifted from the magazine;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the sheetretainer;

Figure 8 is a tliragmentary perspective view of the means for feeding the sheets one by one upward in the magazine.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the main magazine;

Figure 10 is a sectional perspective of the main magazine with an auxiliary magazine inserted therein to reduce the size of the main magazine.

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the transfer bellows in the position it takes just before the bellows is released as it moves down onto the magazine.

Figure 12 is a like view to Figure ll but showing the position of the bellows when it is released and the bellows moved upward from the magazine toward the printing frame;

and extend laterally and are pivotally sup- Figure 13 is a like view to Figures 11 and 12 but showing the bellows in position over the printing frame and held from entire expansion;

Figure 14 is a like view to Figure 13 but showing the bellows moving away from the printing frame toward the magazine and showing how the bellows is released to permit its expansion;

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that my printing machine comprises a supporting frame including a table or platform 10. This platform defines a longitudinally extending opening upon its under face, and disposed below the platform and within the supporting frame and at what will be termed the rear end of the machine there is a printing compartment or cabinet 11 having side walls and a rear wall and, if necessary, having a front wall. 'Within this compartment there is provided a lamp, preferably an electric lamp, 12 which may be mounted upon the wall 13, as indicated, or may be mounted in any suitable manner, and it is to be remarked that this light may burn continuously, if desired, or means be provided whereby the light may be turned on when exposures are being made and turned off when the exposures are not being made.

Immediately rearward of the wall 13 there is a receiving compartment 14 which receives the cards or sheets after they are printed, this receiving compartment being defined by a wall 15 at its forward end and by a side wall. One end of the receiving compartment is preferably open so as to permit the operator to reach in and collect the cards or sheets therefrom for removal to the developing bath.

Rearward of the front wall 15 of the receiving compartment there is disposed a magazine 16. This has a front wall and opposed side walls, one of the side walls being cut away, as at 17. The walls of the magazine extend down through the fioor of platform 10, as seen in Figure 4, and operating within this magazine is a plunger 18, the

lunger rod 19 of which extends downward into the space below the floor and is preferably bifurcated and connected to two radius rods 20 which are pivoted to the plunger ported by a. bracket 21 depending from the table (see Figure 6). The means whereby this plunger is raised or lowered will be later explained. One end of the platform 10 above the compartment 11 is formed with a seat 22 to support a negative, which may be either a plate negative or a film negative supported in turn upon a sheet of glass, this transparent plate or negative support being designated 23.

For the purpose of carrying a sheet or card from the magazine 16 over to and pressing this card or sheet down upon the filmcarrying plate 23, I provide a bellows 24 which is mounted upon a supporting frame or base 25. The bellows consists of the supporting frame 25, the movable frame or wall 26, and the intermediate accordion-plaited portion 27. The supporting frame 25 is rectangular in form and carries the downwardly protuberant, slightly convex pad 28 which may be made of leather or like material having a plurality of perforations 29 arranged over an area not greater than that of the smallest card or sheet to be printed. This frame 25 is mounted at its forward end upon the downwardly extending links 30, there being two of these links on each side of the frame, each of the links being (pivoted at its upper end to the frame 25 an at its lower end extending into a slot in the table and being pivoted to the table.

Likewise supporting this frame 25 are a pair of links 31 extending parallel to the inks 30 and pivoted at their upper ends to the frame 25 and at their lower ends inserted in slots in the table 10 and pivoted to the body of the table. Thus it will be seen that while the bellows may move in an arcuate path, the bottom 28 of the bellows always remains in a horizontal lane. A handle 32 is mounted upon the bel ows at the rear end thereof and preferably mounted upon the bellows frame itself by two arms 33, and it is by means of this handle that the bellows is carried from its card-engaging position to its printing position and vice versa.

For the purpose of lifting the topmost card in the magazine and detaching this topmost card from the subjacentcards, I provide a bellows at the front of the machine comprising a fixed back 34, the movable back 35, and the intermediate accordionplaited bellows proper 36. The back 35 is pivo-tally mounted upon a transverse cross bar 37 mounted between the uprights 38 which form part of the frame. Extendin from the rear wall 34 of the bellows an projecting over the magazine ad'acent one end thereof is a laterally adjusta le hollow nose 39 which at a point immediately over the magazine opens into a shallow box-like head 40 which has a square ning 41 on its under face. Attached tom front and rear walls of this bellows is a leaf spring 42 which acts to urge the two walls toward each other.

For the purpose of automatically closing the bellows 36 as the card carrier moves rearward to a position over the printing frame, I pivot to one of the links 30 the longitudinally extending link 43. This link at its forward end is angularly bent and at the junction of the angular portion with the straight portion of the link I form the notch 44 which engages over a pin 45 projecting from the front wall of the front bellows. The angular portion of the link 43 rests within a longitudinally extended Ushaped sleeve which is mounted upon the front wall 35 of the bellows 36, this sleeve constituting a guide for the rear end of the link.

Depending from the link 43 just rearward of the notch 44 is a rigid strip 47 which operates within a slot 48 formed in a latch 49 (see Figure This latch consists of a longitudinally extending plate of metal operatively pivoted at 50 upon the table 10, the rear end of the latch being formed with a relatively wide head 51. The forward end of the latch forward of the pin 50 is slotted at 48, as previously described, and this slot 48 is a cam slot and curves gradually laterally adjacent its forward end. Attached to the wall 34 of the bellows St) is a plate 52 which constitutes a keeper for the latch end 51 of the member 49. Stops 53 limit the rearward movement of the forward wall 34 of the bellows.

Vhen the card lifting bellows 36 moves rearward to bring the head 40 into position over a card in the magazine, the link .is released from its engagement with the pin 4-5 by a member 115 and the arm 47, as will be later stated, and this allows this bellows 36 to expand, drawing up a card. The rearward movement of the forward wall of the bellows 46, this movement being a turning movement upon the pivot 37, causes the vertical downward movement of the wall 34 of the bellows 36, this wall coming in contact with the stop 51 so that it .cannot move any more forward and, there-- fore, moving downward, and when the bellows 36 expands by the release just described, the forward wall will move vertically upward because it cannot move rearward on account of the stop 51 engaging the shoulder 52. Now as the bellows 24 is moved upward and forward, the link 43 will be moved forward. At this time the latch end 51 of the latch 49 is turned inward against the edge of the keeper 52, as before remarked. As the bellows 24 continues to move rearward, however, the arm 47 moving in the cam slot 48 acts to turn the forward end of the cam inward or toward the bellows, releasing the rear end 51 from engagement with the keeper 52 on the rear end of the bellows 14, and at this time the arm 43 will have moved forward sufliciently so that the notch 44 will drop into engagement with the pin 45. At this time the cam has re leased the rear end of the bellows and, therefore, the whole bellows will swing rearward and downward upon its pivot so as to carry the nose upward and outward away from its position innnediately over the magazine and out of the way so that the bottom of the bellows 24 may come down flat upon the upstanding walls of the magazine. Upon the reverse movement given to bellows 27, the bellows 35 will swing bodily upward until its re: all 34 is in an approximately vertical position. lVhen the forward wall is nearly in this vertical position, the rear wall will engage the stop 53, which will limit the forward nmvement of this rear wall. At this time the cam arm 41' has entered the slot 48 and as the rear wall 34. passes the end 51 of the latch, this arm 47 swings the latch end 51 inward in front of the keeper 52, thus again latching the rear wall 34 of the bellows 36 into vertical position. Thus as the bellows 34 moves toward the magazine, it will be completely compressed and then suddenly expanded.

It will be seen that this mechanism, therefore, provides for a partial expansion of the bellows upon the first part of the movement of the card carrier bellows and then a movement of the bellows from its position with the nose thereof eX- tending over the n agazine to a position with the nose extending up into the air.

Mounted upon the rear wall 34 of the bellows 36 is a hat spring 54 which, when the wall is in a vertical position, bears resiliently against the pack of sheets or cards disposed upon the plunger 39. )isposed innned'ately above the spring 54- is a relatively short nozzle 55.

Mounted in bearings upon the table is a transverse rock shaft 56, the intern'iediate portions of which are formed with upwardly extending lingers 57 and this rock shaft is resiliently maintained with the fingers extending over the top of the plunger 18 by means of a spring which is attached to an arm extending from the rock shaft. It is necessary to oscillate the rock shaft so as to raise the fingers from their position overhanging the plunger and the cards or sheets thereon, and to that end I attach to the arm 59 the rod 60, this rod extending rearward and being connected to a lever 61 (see Figure 2) pivoted at to the table, this lever 01.1 at one end having a plurality of apertur s, within one of which this lOt 69 may engage. The lever prevented from moving beyond a certain position by means of a stop 63.

For the purpose of automatically shifting this lever and thereby automati ally raising the fingers from their position over the upper end of the magazine, I mount upon the table the cam-like member 64 formed of a plate of metal with a sect0rshaped opening extending radially inward and having upstanding walls 65 and (36. This plate 4 is pivoted at GT and is so disposed that one of the walls 65 or (36 is always in the path of movement of the rearmost link 31 on one side of the machine. Thus as this link 31 moves forward so that the bellows is carried to a position over the magazine, the link will turn the cam 64 by engagement with the wall 65 and this wall 65 in turn will engage llt) with the lever 61 and shift the lever so as to cause the rock shaft 56 to rock in a direction to carry the fingers away from the position over the magazine. On the other hand, when the bellows carrier 24 moves rearward, the link will strike against the wall 66 and lift the cam in the other direction, whereupon the spring 58 will draw the rock shaft in position to carry the fingers again above the magazine.

At the time that the lifting of the bellows 35 operates to suck up one end of a card or sheet from the pile of cards or sheets lying upon the plunger, it is necessary to insert a separator between the lifted end of the card or sheet and the subjacentsheets, and to this end I mount upon the front wall 35 of the bellows 35 an angularly disposed, relatively short channel iron 68. This channel iron is disposed to extend rearward and outward and is rigidly mounted upon the front wall of this front bellows. Oscillatably mounted upon the platform is an arm 69, the rear end of which is angularly bent and extends downward and oscillates within a suitable socket formed in the table, this arm extending forward and being disposed normally against the side of the back 34. of the card lifting bellows. A spring urges this rod inward and the rod carries upon it a finger 71 whose extremity is beveled and which passes through an opening formed in one side wall of the magazine.

When the card carrying bellows is moved forward by means of the handle 32, the card lifting bellows, as before stated, swings upon its pivot and as soon as the channel iron cam 68 has left the extremity of the arm or rod 69, this arm swings inward under the impulse of the spring 70 and the separator 71 or finger is inserted between the partially lifted card held up by the lifting bellows and the subjacent card. Thereafter when the lifting bellows moves still further rearward, one end of the card will be held above the other cards and separated therefrom so that when the card carrying bellows comes down upon the magazine to engage this lifted card, it will lift this one card or sheet and no other and the subjacent cards will be held firmly down against any lifting movement.

When the card carrying bellows is shifted rearward again and the rear wall 35 of the card lifting bellows moves inward, the cam 68 will bear against the rod or arm 69 and shift it outward and this will retract the finger or separator 71 so that the suction head 40 carried on the nose 39 may come in contact with the uppermost card or sheet in position to suck it upward when the lifting bellows is initially expanded.

In order to cushion the downward movement of the card carr ing bellows as it nears a position over the printin frame, I provide the leaf spring 72 which 1s attached to the table 10 and extends upward and forward and is engaged by the butt end 'of an arm 73 which is rigidly mounted upon the pintle 74 by which the link 30 is connected to the base 25 of the bellows 24. This arm 73 always maintains the same position of angmlanit relative to the link 30. Thus when the bel lows 24 is drawn over above the printing frame, the arm 73 will be at a slightly obtuse angle to the link 30 and at an acute angle to the table, while when the base of the bellows 24 has been turned over on the ma amine, the arm 73 will have a position near y parallel to the table.

For the purpose of permitting the bellows 2+ to partly expand as it moves upward and away from the magazine, and remain .partially expanded while it carries the sheet -or card onto the glass of the printing frame and be further expanded as it picks the sheet or card up from the glass of the printing frame and carries it into position over the receiving compartment 14, I provide arod 75 which is pivoted to the end of the arm 73 and extends rearward and passes over a laterally projecting rod 7 6 mounted upon the up r end of the wall 26 of the bellows 24. T is red 75 is pivoted at one end to the rod 73 and at its other end is formed with a downwardly extending bend 77 constituting a stop and about one-third of the distance from this stop 77 to the point of connection with the arm 73 the rod 75 is formed with a second stop 78. These stops 77 and 78 are adapted to catch upon the outwardly and upwardly projecting pin 76.

Mounted upon the link 30 which is immediately beneath the arm 73 and in fixed angular relation to this link is a rigid arm 79. This arm is adapted to engage, as will be later stated, with the face of the outwsmt ly projecting stop lug 78 so as to push this stop lug off from its engagement with the pin 76.

When the handle 32 is lilited to carry the bellows 24 from a position over the printing frame to a position over the magazine, the first action is to lift the pivoted end of the arm 75. At the same'time the movement of the arm 73 tends to pull the rod 74-and' bring the angular stop 78 against the 79. Therefore, as the bellows 24 moves into a position over the receptacle 14 or from this position, the rod 75 Wlll draw the outer wall of the bellows toward the horizontal wall of the magazine, the bellows is still further a 5 contracted by the action of the arm 7 3 and of the rod 75 until at a point when the under face of the bellows 24 is immediately over the magazine and just as the bellows touches the uppermost card or sheet held by the magazine, the rod takes such an angular relation to the wall 26 of the bellows that the arm 79 bears against the lug T8, and just as the bellows reaches the face of the card this arm 7 9 forces the rod 75 upw rd so as to lift the stop 78 from its engagement with the pin 76 and the bellows will tend to fly open, the stop 7 7 moving toward the pin 74. As a matter of fact, the bellows does not fiy fully open when the rod 75 releases engagement with the pin 76 because of the fact that there is a card which is sue? l against the under face of the bellows, that is against the cushion 28, and therefore, the bellows can only partially open. Now as the bellows moves upward and forward, the rod 75 slides upward over the pin 76 until the stop 7 8 passes to a point beyond this pin.

As before remarked, the bellows tends to fully expand but this is prevented by the fact that there is a card against the under face of the pad of the bellows, but as the bellows moves over toward the printing frame and finally moves down upon the printing frame, if the bellows was allowed to expand air would leak in between the card and the pad, for instance, and thus the bellows would exert no suction on the card for a reverse movement of the bellows which would carry the card into position wh re it may be dropped into the card receptacle. In order to prevent this, the upper frame 26 of the bellows 24 has attached to it adjacent one edge the annular arm 80, one end portion of which extends straight downward when the bellows is in this partially expanded position and is nearing a position over the magazine and is in position over the printing frame so that when the bellows nears the printing frame, the lower end of this arm will strike against a triangularshaped stop 82 mounted upon the base 10 and thus will prevent the full opening movement of the bellows so that the bellows at the time it arrives over the printing frame is held in a partially open position against the action of a spring 80 which urges the bellows 24 to an expanded position. This spring is mounted upon the under wall 25 and extends upward and over the back 28 and at its free end is connected to a hook 80 mounted upon the upper edge of the wall 26 of the bellows. As the bellows is about to be moved off from the printing frame to carry the printed card back into position over the receptacle M, the arm 81 will move away from the stop 82 and hence the bellows will then more fully open under the action of the spring 82, which will cause the suction induced by the action of the bellows to draw the card lying on the plate of the printing frame into close engagement with the pad 28 and this card is so held until the bellows is disposed over the receptacle 14, where the frame 26 of the bellows is moved downward by means of the rod 75, as heretofore described, so as to discharge the card forcibly from its engagement with the bellows and force the card to drop into the receptacle 1%.

As before stated, it is necessary when the carrier bellows moves over onto the top of the magazine that the plunger be raised so as to carry the pack of cards or sheets upward into such a position that the suction of the bellows 2% will suck the card or sheet up against the under face of the pad 28, and it is also necessary that the plunger should move downward as the bellows 24 moves in to position over the printing frame so that the uppermost card may be sepa 'ated from the lower card and be engaged by the separator 71 and thus held lifted from the subjacent cards.

The mechanism whereby this is accomplished is as follows: The plunger rod 15) is pivotally connected to the radius rods 2,, as previously stated, and also mounted upon the lower face of the plunger 18 is an eye 83, with which eye is engaged the vertical rod This rod extends downward and has sliding engagement with a supporting brace 8ft extending between the front of the frame and the wall 15 of the compartment 1 This brace 8-l is supported by a stirrup 85, though I do not wish to be limited to this.

Mounted upon the 1'O( 83 is a U-shaped yoke 86 having apertures at the ends of its arms through which the rod 83 passes. hflounted to one side of this yoke 86 and disposed in the brace 8-1: is the vertical guide rod 87. Disposed between the arm of the U-shaped yoke 86 is an approximately U- shaped clamp 88. The end of the clamp which is disposed between the arms of the yoke 86 is enlarged and rectangular in form and is designated 89, and at its junction with the curved portion 90 of this clamp there is formed an elongated slot 91 through which the rod 88 passes. The arm 92 of the clamp is not parallel to the portion 89 but is dis posed at a slight angle thereto and is also slotted for the passage of the rod 83. The extreme corner of the portion 89 is also slotted for the passage of the guide rod 87. Disposed between this plate-like portion 89 of the clamp and the lower arm of the. U-shaped yoke is an upwardly extending plate 93, the inner end of which is hinged, as at 9%. to the yoke 86, the outer end having a slot through which the rod 83 passes and there being a spring 95 forcing the free end of this plate 93 upward and into contact with the under face of the clamp 88.

Hingedly mounted at 96 is a downwardly extending rod 97 whose lower end is curved outward and upward, as at 98, and bears against the upper face of the plate-like portion 89 of the clamp. This rod at one end is formed with an eye 99, and pivotally connected to this eye is the link 100. This link extends upwardly and is in turn pivotally connected to the uper end of a rod 101 which is pivoted at its lower end in the brace 84 so that this rod 101 can swing inward. In swinging inward, it is obvious that it will depress the link 100, which in turn will depress the lever 97 against the plate 89.

For the purpose of securing this movement of the rod 101, which in itself constitutes a lever, I provide a triangular cam 102 mounted upon the inner wall 34 of the bellows 36. One face of this triangular cam has a longitudinally extending groove within which the extremity of the rod or lever 101 travels. A spring 103 is fastened at its upper end to the frame of the magazine and at its lower end is attached to the U-shaped yoke 86 and acts to draw this yoke upward. A leaf spring 104 is attached to a cross bar on the frame of the machine and has its free end extending beneath this U- shaped yoke 86, this free end being apertured for the passage of the guide pin 87. A guide pin 105 prevents the curved portion 98 of the arm 97 from slipping off the plate 89.

With this construction, it is obvious that as the carrying bellows 24 is shifted from the magazine, the rear wall 34 of the bellows 36 will move inward and eventually the cam 102 will strike the upper end of the rod 101 and shift this rod on its pivot, thus depressing the link 100 and the part 97. This will cause a rocking of the plate 89 which will lock, therefore, upon the rod 81 and the clamp 90 and the rod 81. will descend together, thus carrying the plunger downward. The plunger will remain downward until the cam 102 moves out of its engagement with the rod 101, whereupon the spring 106 will cause the plunger to lift fully upward so as to press the cards upward against the pin or separator 71. At the time the cam 102 moves out of its engagement with the rod 101, the springs 104 and 103 will cause the lifting of the clamp which will release the plunger so-that the plunger under the action of the spring 106 will move fully up ward. This spring 106 is attached at its lower end to a supporting member 106" upon which the outer end of the lowermost arm rests. The upper end of this spring is attached to the under face of the table. It willbe understood that the pad on the under face of the bellows 24 never touches the cards in the magazine but only moves near enough to the card in the magazine to suck the uppermost card upward into contact with the bellows and, therefore, this pad on the under face of the bellows 24 does not cause any downward pressure of the cards in the magazine.

. The clamp and plunger mechanism shown in Figure 8 is particularly important. It

would be a relatively easy matter to secure a plunger that would merely work up and down vertically, but the necessities of the present case require that the plunger shall hold the cards in proper position a proper length of time and then release them at the proper instant as well. There are times when the magazine will be filled with one,-..

two or three hundred cards or even a greater number of sheets of paper and it is necessary that the plunger should be urged u ward so as to shift this paper up against t e pin and then that upon a movement of the' as to separate the u permostcard from the.

next succeeding car the action of the parts is to release the plunger and permit it to move upward under the action of the spring 3 and force the cards back up against the pin and this without regard to the number of cards which may be in the magazine.

The magazine 16 is rectangular in plan and has an area that of a standard photographic print, as 3 x 4 4, 5 x 7, or like dimensions, and itis intended that adapters shall be furnished with the machine, each adapter nesting within the next larger size and these adapters being insertible within the magazine to restrict the dimensions thereof from the maximum size. Such an adapter is shown in Figure 10 and designated generally 16. This adapter is the same as the magazine itself, except that the rear wall. consists of a thin late of metal 110 formed with a medially isposed flange 111 at its upper end adapted to fit over the rear wall of the regular magazine. the wall on each side of this middle portion bein lowered and formed with outwardly exten ing flanges 112 and 113. The rear wall of the magazine at one end is formed with the upwardly and inwardly extending hook 114, and the flange 113 is cut out to fit over this hook. This hook 114 is designed for preventing any card sucked up by the suc tion head 40 from being carried upward and rearward beyond the ma azine. In order to adjust the suction head magazine by the insertion of the adapter orthe removal of the adapter, the nozzle 39 is mounted upon a plate 115, which plate is mounted in guides 116 attached to the wall of the bellows 36 so that this plate may be shifted longitudinally to dispose the nozzle in its new position to adapt it either to the large magazine or the relatively smaller magazine. This plate is held in place by any suitable means as, forinstance', the clamp 11 to changes in the The operation of this mechanism, generally speaking, is as follows: The magazine is to be filled with sensitized cards as, for instance, sensitized postal. cards disposed, oi course, with the sensitized 'tace downward. lVhen the magazine is filled (which may he done when the conveying bellows 24; is elevated), the handle 32 is operated to shift the bellows 24: over toward the magazine. As the bellows 24 is shifted over toward the magazine from its most elevated position, the rod will cause the operation of the bellows. At the same time the bellows it is moving over toward the magazine, the bellows 37 is moving away from the magazine and has acted to pick up a card in the manner described at one end so that the separating finger may be inserted between this card and the subjacent cards. The first movement of the bellows 37 is to expand the bellows and this acts to suck a card upward against the suction head. Then when the bellows has fully expanded, the swinging action of the bellows 37 takes place, which moves the nose 39 and the suction head 40 away from the magazine. As the b llows 2-1 moves downward toward the magazine, it becomes compressed through the action of the rod 75, and when the bellows has arrived at such point that the pad 28 on the under face of the bellows strikes the card, the stop 7 8 will slip off the hook 76. As soon as this occurs, the spring on the bellows tends to cause the bellows to open and the bellows opens as far as is permitted by the tact that there is a card bearing closely against all the openings on the under face of the pa d of the bellows. This opening of the bellows draws the card up into contact with the pad 28 so that the card is then held against the under face of the pad and as the carrier bellows is moved over the card will be carried with it. As the carrier is moved over. the rod 75 slips along the hook 26 until eventually the stop 28 drops over the hook '79. Meanwhile the bellows 24 is moving over so as to carry this pad into a position parallel to and immediately above the glass of the printing frame. By the time. that the pad 28 has moved into position over he printing frame, the bellows is tending to open, but it cannot do so because of the fact that the arm 80 bears against the stop 8''. at this time so that the bellows cannot open any further and thus lose its air before the bellows is to be moved to carry the card from a position over the printing frame to a position over the receptacl into which the card has dropped.

Attention is called to the fact that it no means such as the members 81 and 82 were present to prevent the complete opening movement of the bellows 24 when the bel lows 24: was moved over into position on the printing frame, then this device could only be used for the printing of negatives having a slight density and requiring but a minimum ot exposure, but by providing means to prevent the full opening ot the bellows at the time when it moves over upon the printin lrame, ne "ves o't any density may be printed without the bellows losing its suction, that is the members 81 and S2 arrest the motion oi the bellows for any duration ot time, but the moment, however, that the bellows is picked up and moved away from the printing frame, the suction innnediately lifts the card and, oi course, delivers it. to its proper receptacle. This allows for variations in densities in dillerent negatives, it being obvious that one negative might be printed in a second. where another negative of a different density might require several seconds to print.

lVhile the bellows 24- is moving "from its highest position downward toward the printing frame, the card lifting bellows composed of the parts ill, and 36 swings upon its pivot 77 to a position where the front wall 3 L oi the bello is vertical and the nose is e7:- tended over the top of the magazine. As the bellows 2% moves downward toward the printing frame, the rear wall 35 of the litting bellows closes toward the "front wall, urged thereto by a pull of the connecting rod l3, so that the lifting bellows is now collapsed and remains collapsed until the trans tel-ring bellows 2st has almost reached its position over the printing trame, but the lifting bellows is released just. before the transferring bellows reaches the printing frame. This secured by providing a lift ing wedge or incline 11.5 immediately below the base end (it the slot ltl and the latch 49 and the arm in its passage through the cam slot 48 rides up on this incline 115, thus releasing the notch ell from its engagement with the pin 4-5, whereupon the spring "l9. immediately opens the bellows. The opening of the bellows cans suction to he applied to the topmost card o it the magazine through the suction head 4:0 and the card is raised and held raised at one end. As the card is raised by the suction created by the opening of the bellows the finger 7i swings in ward beneath the margin of the card so that as the head moves backward upon a return of the transfer or 7arricr bellows to the magazine, theuppermost card will be held separated from the other cards of the pack.

It will be seen that the card is carried up by the suction head of bellows 36. In other words, the card adheres to the suction head. The suction, when the bellows is opening, causes the card to fly up and adhere to the suction head, and when the bellows ceases to open, the suction ceases and the card will then drop o'tt from the suction head. Thus it will be obvious with the bellows so regulated as to cease opening in any position. it will cause the card to drop off, but in case the card is jerked up very suddenly by a sudden retractile movement of the bellows 36, the hook plates on the top edge of the magazine will knock the card off and cause it to drop.

As the bellows 24 moves upward and rearward by lifting upon the handle 32, the rod 43 will also move rearward but without affecting the bellows 34, 35 and 36 until the notch 44 engages the pin 45. At this time the arm 47 is moved to the extremity of the cam slot 48 and shifts the cam away from its engagement with the keeper 52. The further movement of the link 30 causes the backward swinging movement of the card lifting bellows. As the transfer bellows moves from its position over th printing frame, it retains the card until the bottom of the transfer bellows is immediately over the receptacle for the exposed cards and at this time the bellows 24 is slightly compressed by the action of the connecting rod and this dislodges the card from the under side of the bellows and causes the card to drop into the receiving box.

Attention is particularly called to the parts shown in Figure 7. These parts 56 and 57 constitute a movable magazine wall which is adjustable to all changes in width of the several magazines from, for instance, 5 x 7 to 2 4 x 3 If this magazine wall constituted by the parts 57 was a permanent fixture, the paper-carrying bellows 36 would in its backward and upward movement pull the paper against the wall and positively move it or knock it entirely off the pad. Hence it is necessary that the magazine wall be movable and also be adjustable. For this reason the rock shaft 56 may be shifted into one or more bearings 59, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 4, so that the rock shaft may be moved nearer to or further from the paper mounted on the plunger head 18, and it is also necessary that the arm 61, as shown in Figure 2, be provided with a plurality of openings for engagement with the link or connecting rod 60 to thus adjust the movement of this wall 57.

It will be obvious that the operation may be repeated as many times as desired and that during the entire operation the fingers will not touch the card in any manner. The entire manipulation of the card is secured by suction, and inasmuch as no hands touch the card itself, it follows that unskilled labor may be used for printing the card, it being merely necessary to hold the carrier bellows and the card down on the printing frame a certain predetermined length of time. The rest of the operation is automatic.

With regard to the construction of the clamping mechanism shown in Figure 8, it is particularly pointed out that the clamp causes the plunger to work up and down, holds the cards in proper position and for the proper length of time, and then releases them at the proper instant as well. In order to explain this, it may be stated that the top card is elevated above the middle at one end when the bellows 24 starts forward, that is elevated by means of the pin 71, as shown in Figure 6. This card is not in a proper position, however, at that instant but as bellows 24 continues to move forward, the bellows 36 releases the clamp shown in Figure 8, that is the cam 102 moves away from the rod 101 and this levels the top card and properly positions it. \Vhen the top card becomes level, at that instant the bellows 24 rides over the plunger just in time to suck the card up the very instant it reaches its level position. The bellows 36 is locked by lock 48 and held by this lock 48 until the right instant arrives, when lock 48 releases the bellows 36 and the bellows 36 in turn releases the clamp. When bellows 36 moves over into position above the magazine, the clamp and the plunger do not move. When bellows 36 starts to move away from this position, however, the plunger still does not move while the bellows 36 is opening, but the instant that the nose 39 lifts the top card while the bellows 36 is opening, then the lock which holds the plunger is released. The back wall of bellows 34 or bellows 36 continues to move over and this releases the clamp, which allows the plunger to raise the cards against the pin 71.

I have referred to the construction illustrated in Figure 7 consisting of the members 56, 57 and 59 as being fingers. It will be understood that, as a matter of fact, the parts 57 together constitute a wall disposed in front of the magazine, this wall being shiftable so as to permit the paper carrying bellows in its backward and upward movement to draw the paper against the wall but yield to permit the retraction of the paper.

While I have illustrated a construction which has been found to be effective in practice, I do not wish to be limited thereto as it is obvious that many changes might be made in the details of the device and the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A photographic printing machine including a printing frame, a magazine for sensitized paper, means for shifting the sensitized sheet from the magazine to the printing frame and then releasing the sheet comprising a support, a member having linked connections with the support and having a handle whereby it may be shifted, said member having a suction device upon its under face, a bellows connected to the suction device, and means for causing the automatic inflation of the bellows when in position to pirlf up 9 sensitized sheet from the magazine and the automatic deflation of the bellows when it reaches a position where the sheet is to be discharged afte the sheet has been disposed against the prinh ing frame.

2. In a photographic printing appar" printing frame. a m gazine adapted contain sheets of sensit l paper. a compartment for pr nted sheets disposed li-etween the magazine and the printing fr me. means for shifting a sensitizei'l sheet om the magazine to the printing rame rom prising a siuaporting member. a member having linked connection with the support ing member and having a handle whereby it ma be shifted. said member carrvine; a sheet-engaging suction device, a bellows con nected to the member. and means for causing the automatic inflation of the ljicllows when the handle has been shifted to carry the suction device over the magazine or the automatic deflation of the bellows when the handle has been shifted to carrv the suction device to a position above the compartment. for printed sheets.

3. In a photographic printing machine, a printing frame. a magazine. a compartment for printed sheets disposed betvcen the magazine and the frame. a member manually movable from a position over and upon the magazine to a position over and upon the printing frame and vice vein. said member having a perforated pad upon its under face. and suction operated means n ting to draw a sheet of paper against said pad while the pad. is disposql over the 1'na ;azine retain said paper against the pad while the pad is n'iovingz to and over the printing frame and again toward the magazine and release said paper when the pad is over the compartment.

(l. A photographic printing machine ineluding: a printing frame. a magazine adapted to contain superposed sensitized sheets. a compartment for receiving heets after they are printed, manuallv shi table pneumatic means for lifting the sheets one by one from the magazine and carrving said sheets to a position over the printing frame. holding them in position on the print ing frame while being printed. and carrying said sheets into a position over the compartment and discharging the sheets, and means for lifting the top sheet in the magazine into delivery position automatically as the pneumatic lifting means nears the magazine.

5. In a photographic printing machine, a printing frame, a magazine, a compartment between the magazine and the print-- ing frame designed to receive printed sheets, a member having a suction device in one position disposable upon the top of the mag azine and in another position disposable over the top of the printing frame, a bellows carried by the member, means for causing the automatic expansion of the bellows when it re ches a position mmediately over the ma :ine. said mean causing the retaining of s; 1. expansion while the bellows is moving from the magazine to the printing f 'ame and while it is r sting upon the printing frame. and means for causing a contraction of the bellows and the consequent detachment of the sheet from the suction device when the perforated member is over the sheet receiving compartment.

(3. In a photographic printing machine. a supporting frame. a printing frame arranged within the supporting frame, a magazine mounted within the supporting frame and adapted to contain sensitized sheets, there beino' a ciunpartment disposed between the mag, zinc and the printing frame. a sheet transferring member including a suc tion device. n..rallel links pivoted to the supporting rame and to said member whereby the member may be manually moved 't'ror a position over the magazine to a position over the printing frame. a bellows mounted upon and forming part of said member. means for automatically causing the expansion of the bellows as it reaches a a position over the magazine and retaining said expansion while the member is moving from the magazine into position over the printing frame and while Said member is moving from the printing fran'ie to a position over the receiving compartment. and means for then causing the contraction of said bellows to cause he deuchment of the sheet from the under face of the suction device and the discharge of the sheet into the compartment.

7. In a photographic printing machine, a supporting f1 me. a printing}; frame or ranged within the supporting frame. a magazine mounted within the supporting isame and adapted to contain sensitized sheets, there being a conmartment disposed between the magazine and the printing frame. a sheet transferring member including a suction device. parallel links pivoted to the supporting frame and to said member whereby the frame and while said member is moving from the printing frame to a position over the receiving compartment, means for then causing the contraction of said bellows to cause the detachment of the sheet from the under face of the suction device and the ltlt) discharge of the sheet into the compartment, a plunger mounted within the magazine and supporting the sheets therein, and resilient means yieldingly urging said plunger upward as the transferring member reaches a position over the magazine.

8. In a photographic printing machine, a magazine adapted to contain sensit zed sheets, a plunger operating therein, a printing frame, a compartment disposed between the printing frame and the magazine adapted to contain printed sheets, manually shiftable pneumatic means for lifting a sheet from the magazine, transferring the sheet to the printing frame holding it thereon and transferring it to a position above the compartment and discharging the sheet thereinto, and means acting to automatically lift the uppermost sheet of those disposed in the magazine and hold said sheet separated from the subjacent sheets until picked up by the transferring member.

9. In a photographic printer, a supporting frame, a magazine mounted thereon and adapted to contain sensitized sheets, a printing frame mounted thereon and having illuminating means, a compartment disposed between the magazine and the printing frame and adapted to contain printed sheets, a sheet transferring member comprising a base having a perforated pad, a bellows attached to the base and having a hinged back, a handle connected to said base, links pivotally connected to the base and to the supporting frame whereby the base may be shifted from a position immediately over the magazine to a position immediately over the printing frame, means causing the automatic expansion of the bellows as it reaches a position over the magazine to thereby cause suction to be applied to the uppermost sheet in the magazine, and means causing the deflation of said bellows when the supporting member thereof is immediately over the said coi'npartment and is being moved from the printing frame to the magazine.

10. In a printing frame, means for shift ing a sensitized sheet from one position to another comprising a supporting frame, a member having linked connection with the supporting frame and having a handle whereby it may be shifted, said member having a perforated pad upon its under face, a bellows connected to the member, and means for causing the automatic inflation of the bellows when in position to pick up a sensitized sheet and the automatic deflation of the bellows when it reaches a position where the sheet is to be discharged.

11. In a photographic printing machine, a magazine designed to contain sensitized sheets, a printing frame, an intermediate compartment designed to receive printed sheets, a sheet transferring mechanism comprising a member having a suction device upon its under face and adapted to be disposed flat upon the top of the magazine or upon the top of the printing frame, asupporting frame for the magazine and the printing frame, links pivotally connecting said member to the supporting frame, a handle on said mei'nber whereby it may be shifted. a bellows mounted upon the member and having a back, a spring urging the bellows to an expanded position, means for automatically causing the expansion and contraction of the bellows comprising a pin extending outward from the back from one edge, an arm forming an angular extension of one of said links, a link pivotally connet-ted to the end of said arm and havin an angular stop intermediate its ends an an angular stop at the extremity of the link and engaging over said pin, and :1 lug extending outward from the back to such position that as the bellows reaches a position over the magazine the link will be lifted to disengage its intermediate stop from the pin and permit the expansion of the bellows under the action of the spring.

12. In a photographic printing machine, a supporting frame, a printing frame, a magazine designed to contain sensitized sheets, manually shiftable suction operated means for transferring the sheet from the magazine to the printing frame, and suction operated means for lifting the top sheet in the magazine into delivery position and op- ,ratcd by a movement of the manually operable means into proximity to the magazine.

13. In a photo-printing machine, a supporting frame, a printing frame mounted thereon, a magazine mounted thereon and open at its upper end, a compartment for receiving printed sheets disposed between the magazine and the printing frame, a plunger within the magazine, a suction operated transferring device operatively mounted upon the supporting frame for itiovcmcnt from a position over the magazine to a position over the printing frame, suction operated means for lifting the top sheet of the series of sheets in the magazine into delivery position, the suction operated means being movable out of position above the magazine upon a movement of the transferring member from the printing frame to a position above the magazine, means for yieldingly urging the plunger upward as the transferring member moved from a position over the printing frame to a position over the magazine, means for causing a return of the suction operated lifted means to a position over the magazine upon a movement of the transferring member from the magazine to the printing frame, and means then acting to depress the plunger.

lltl

14, In a photo-printing machine, a sup- 1,3, porting frame, a printing frame carried thereby, a vertically disposed magazine and a vertically disposed receptacle between the magazine and the printing frame and azlapted to receive printed sheets, a transfer member operatively mounted upon the frame and including a bellows, a front therefor having a perforated pad adapted to rest l'lat upon either the magazine or the printing frame, the bellows having a movable back and hav ing a handle whereby it may be manually shifted from a position over the magazine to a position over the printing frame or vice versa, means for lifting the first sheet of the series of sheets in the magazine and holding: the sheet raised into position to be en d by the transfer member, said means conr singa bellows having an outstanding nose with a suction head, the bellows being mounted for movement into or out of a po sition with the suction head immediately above the magazine, means for automatically shifting the last nam d bellows into position with the suction head above the magazine as the transfer member is moved from the magazine to the printing frame, means for compressing the second named bellows as it moves into a position with its nose over the magazine and then releasing the second named bellows to permit its immediate inflation, a spring urging the bellows to an expanded position, a separator mounted for reciprocation through one side wall of the magazine adjacent the top thereof and urged inward into the magazine, means on the second named bellows iausing the separator to move out of the magazine as the suction head is disposed iuin'icdiately above the magazine but permitting the inward movement of the separator when the suction head is moved away from the magazine and the transfer member is moved into position above the magazine A 15, In a photographic printing machine, a supporting frame, a printing frame mounted thereon, a magazine having back and side walls and extending upward above the supporting frame and spaced from the printing frame to provide an intermediate receptacle into which printed sheets may be discharged. feeding mechanism disposed within the magazine, a transfer device comprising a base, links pivotally connecting the base to the supporting frame and permitting the base to be shifted from a position immediately above the magazine to a position over the printing frame and vice versa, the base having a pad with perforations, a bellows mounted upon the base. a back member hingedly connected to the base and to which the bellows is attached, a spring urging the bellows to an expanded condition, a handle attached to the base and whereb} the base may be shifted from a position over the magazine to a position over the printing frame and vice versa, a second bellows having a back wall and a front wall, the bach wall being pivotally mounted upon the supporting fran'ir and the each wall being hinget w h respect to the front all, a nose GT-lttit from the back wall and having a downward- 1 opening suction head, means acting to shift the second named bellows into position with the suction head immediately above the magazine upon a moven'ient of th transfer bellows from a position over the magazine to a position over the printing frame, means for compressing the second nan'ied bellows as the suction head arrives over the magazine and then releasing the bellows to permit its expansion, a spring causing the expansion of the bellows whereby to cause the suction head to lift on the first card of the series within the magazine, means then insertible between the li't'tct sheet and the next subjacent sheet to thereby hold the sheet lifted, means causing the rear ward movement of the second named bellows upon a moreu'ient of the transfer bellows from its position over the printing frame to aposition over the magazine, a yielding plunger in the magazine resiliently urged upward, and means acting to depress the plunger upon a movement of the second named bellows into position to carry its nose over the magazine.

16. In a photo-printer, a magazine for containing sensitized sheets, a plunger operating therein, manually shiftable means for picking up the topmost sheet, a printing frame to which the transferring mechanism is adapted to transfe the sensitized sheet, means for lifting the top sheet of the series within the magazine into position to be acted upon by the transfer mechanism compri ing a bellows having opposed walls, one of said walls being pivotally supported whereby the bellows can swing in a vertical plane, the two walls being hingedly connected to each other to permit the expansion and cmrtraction of the bellows, a nose extending from one wall of the bellows and having a suction head in one position of the bellows being disposed over the magazine at one end thereof. a spring carried by the same wall of the bellows and adapted to extend into the magazine and bear against the opposite end of the sheet, means for causing the bellows to swing outward and away from the magazine but permit the transferring mechanism to engage the magazine comprising a longitudinally extending rod operatively connected to the transfer mechanism, said rod having a notch, a p n on the pivoted wall of the bellows engageable in said no'tch, a pivoted latch having a cam-shaped slot, the latch being adapted to engage the back wall of the bellows and initially prevent any rearward movement of said back wall when the transfer member moves rearward, and n'ieans lifting the rod upward to release the engageltlt) ment of the pin with the notch when the second named bellows has been moved 'into position to carry its nose over the magazine.

17. In a photo-printer, a SHPPOltilig frame, a printing frame mounted thereon. a magazine adapted to support a series of superposed sheets in superposed relation, manually operable means mounted upon the main frame for automatically lifting a sheet from the magazine and transferring said sheet; to a position over the printing frame, a rock shaft mounted in front of the magazine and having fingers normally extending upward and inward over the sheets in the magazine, and means for causing the rock ing of said shaft to shift the fingers away from said sheets when the transferring member is moved into position over the magazine.

18. In a photo-printer of the character described, a supporting frame, a printing frame mounted thereon, a magazine mounted thereon, an intermediate compartment disposed between the printing frame and the magazine and adapted to receive printed sheets, a transfer member including a base having a perforated pad, links supporting the base at all times in a horizontal plane, said links being pivoted at their lower ends to the supporting frame and at their upper ends 'to said member, manually operable means for shifting the supporting frame to carry said pad from a position over the magazine to a position over the printing frame, suction operated means acting to lift the topmost sheet from the magazine and carry it to the printing frame and acting when the transfer member is above the receiving compartment to discharge said sheet, a guard mounted in front of the magazine comprising a series of fingers extending inward and over the magazine, means for retracting said guard upon a movement of the transfer device into position over the magazine comprising a lever pivoted upon the supporting frame and having a link connection to the guard, and a member pivotally mounted upon the supporting frame in the path of movement of one of said links and adapted to contact with said lever, said member moving in one direction upon a move ment of the transfer member in one direction and be moved into its initial position upon a movement of the transfer member in the opposite direction.

19. In a photographic printing machine, a

platform having a horizontally disposed printing frame at one end and a magazine at the opposite end, the magazine extending vertically from the platform and having its open upper end disposed in a horizontal plane; a manually operable horizontally disposed member movable into position over the magazine or over the printing frame, said member having links pivotally connecting itto the platform whereby movement in one direction will carry it from the magazine to the printing frame.

20. In a photographic printer, a supporting frame having a platform, a support for the negative. a sensitized sheet carrier, a carrier provided with a suction head and vacuumproducing means connected thereto, and operating member for the carrier movable in one direction to carry a sensitized sheet from a magazine to the negative and in the other direction to carry the sensitized sheet from the negative, and means for causing the vacuum-producing means to act upon the suction head as the suction head nears the magazine and to cause a reverse movement of the vacuum-producing means as the suction head moves away from the negative support.

21. In a photographic printing machine, a supporting frame having a vertically disposed magazine at one end, a horizontally disposed printing frame at the other end and an intermediate compartment below the level of the supporting frame for receiving printed negatives, a manually operable conveyor movable into position over the magazine, then automatically acting to pick up a sheet and manually movable into position over the printing frame and during this period holding the sheet and manually movable away from the printing frame and automatically releasing the sheet as the conveyor reaches a position immediately over the compartment for receiving printed negatives, means disposed within the magazine urging the sheets upward through the magazine. and means for separating the top sheet in the magazine from the sheets just before the conveyor reaches the magazine to thereby prevent two sheets from being carried upward by the conveyor.

In testimony whereof I hereunto attix my signature.

ALFRED M. THOMAS. 

